arcane

[ahr-keyn]

adjective

1. known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric.

   She knew a lot about Sanskrit grammar and other arcane matters.

arcane

/ ɑːˈkeɪn /

adjective

1. requiring secret knowledge to be understood; mysterious; esoteric

Other Word Forms

• arcanely adverb
• arcaneness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of arcane¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French, from Latin arcānus, from arc(ēre) “to enclose, restrain, ward off” (derivative of arca “box, chest, coffer”) + -ānus -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of arcane¹

C16: from Latin arcānus secret, hidden, from arcēre to shut up, keep safe

Example Sentences

What are we to make of Park’s fusion of comedy and danger, his puns and wordplay and arcane theories?

From Los Angeles Times

On the education front, instead of consulting books and other arcane text to write papers or prepare for exams, some students are offloading that busywork to ChatGPT.

From Salon

That means the system already profoundly disadvantages indigent asylum seekers — they can’t afford a lawyer, often don’t speak English and have no road map for navigating arcane immigration law.

From Los Angeles Times

I, for one, have more arcane and mundane concerns.

From Salon

I attended the first at 2220 Arts + Archives in March devoted to often arcane electro-acoustic music, and it attracted a diverse and enthusiastic audience taking pleasure in not knowing what to expect.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• esoteric 
• impenetrable